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E. J.Y SHRADBR.

TRAGTIQN ENGINL Patentwd Oct. 22, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT. erica.

EDIVIN J. Sl-IRADER, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAII TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES F. KARNS, OF SAME PLACE.

TRACTiON-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,470, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed August 7, 1395. Serial No 5581548' (N0 mildew To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN J. SHRADER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake, Utah Territory, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines; and

I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and 'exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which to it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked hereon, which form a part of this specificaion. Y

i5 This invention relates to improvements in traction-engines; and it consists in placing a shaft driven by steam-engines or otherwise a suitable distance above the ground and transmitting the power therefrom to the driving? zo wheels by means of coupling-rods connected from the disks or cranks at each end of the shaft to suitable pins on the driving-wheels, the said driving-wheels resting in directcontact with the inner faces of the rims of auX- iliary drive-wheels or revolving tracks, as

will be hereinafter more fully described.

The object of the invention is to first apply the power from the cylinders to a disk upon the engineshaft and thence transmit the 3o power to the driving-wheels by means of a connecting-rod between the said disk and the drivingwheels, instead of having the disk serve as a driving-wheel, and as such in direct contact with the rim of the auxiliary driver or endless track and out of direct line of the cylinders.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l. is a side elevation of a tractionengine with my invention applied thereto, the front edge of the auxiliary driving-wheel or endless track being removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the operating mechanism, the endless track or driving-Wheel being in horizontal section, with the journal-bearing of the endless track removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the trunnion and bolsteriframe.

A represents the boiler of a traction-engine,

5o lwhich has the trunnion B rigidly secured to its rear end, and which trunnion fits in a socket C made to receive it upon the bolsterframe D. In the under side of the trunnion B and in the bottom of the socket C are provided suitable grooves, and within these grooves between the trunnion and its socket are placed suitable balls, rollers, or other antifrictiou devices G, of any kind which will serve to decrease the friction between the parts.

Passing through the trunnion B and the bolster-frame D is the king-bolt H, which has a spring I of any suitable form applied to its lower end, and which spring serves to hold the trunnion in its socket, but at the same time allows it to yield under any undue strain. This trunnion, socket, and king-bolt enable the driving portions of the engine to be turned sufficiently to permit the engine to be guided in its backward movements. The 7o outer ends of the bolster-frame D are turned upward, and projecting from these upturned ends are pivoted or sleeved the centers L of the auxiliary driving-wheels or revolving tracks X, which are provided with flanges N upon their edges. These ausiliari7 driving- Wheels or endless tracks are provided with spokes X', which spokes connect the fiangcs N upon the outer edge of the endless track with the hub, as shown in Fig. 3 of the draw- 8o lngs. l

' The horizontal frame O is secured to the under side of the bolster-frame D and is supported by the springs Q, mounted upon the frame, and upon the forward ends of the-frame O are placed the cylinders P, from which motion is transmitted to the shaft S. This shaft S is raised a considerable distance above the ground and is provided with a disk S', which disk is connected with the driving-wheel V by 9o a couplingrod U. vThe said shaft S is placed in direct line with the cylinder P, so as to receive the power direct and with as little loss from friction or other cause as possible.

The driving-wheel V is in direct contact g5 Awith the smooth inner surface of the rim of the auxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track X, and said wheel V carries the weight ofthe machine. This Wheel V is here shown as larger than the disks' S on the engine-shaft; roo but I do not limit myself in this respect, for it is evident that the size of the said disks may,

if desired, be larger than the driving-wheel. The driving-surface of the Wheel V being perfectly smooth and the inner surface of the track being also smooth, springs to support the boiler can be used. Were these parts toothed springs could not be used advantageously.

The tension between the driving-wheel V and the auxiliary wheels or endless tracks X is regulated by means of set-screws Y or their equivalents, so that the contact can never become sufficiently great to make the wheel V act as a brake upon the tracks or impede its motion in any manner.

As herein shown, the axle W is mounted in suitable boxes applied to the under side of the frame O, which is provided with pedestals to retain the boxes in position.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a traction engine, steam cylinders, the engine shaft placed in line therewith, the

ing tracks having their inner surfaces in direct contact with the outer surface of the driving wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN J. SHRADER. Vitnesses:

MARVEN THOMPSON, FRANKLIN H. HOUGH. 

